Martin Will Seek Comment on AT&T/BellSouth

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin will delay a vote on the merger of AT&T and BellSouth at the request of commission Democrats.

He has also agreed to put out various proposed modifications to the $67 Billion deal for public comment for a period of 10 days.

The FCC had been scheduled to vote on the issue Oct. 12, then Oct. 13, but Democrats Michael Copps and Kevin Adelstein Friday asked him to delay it, saying they wanted more time to consider the new proposals by AT&T to modify the merger and get public input on them.

The meeting was cancelled and Martin said the FCC will revisit the issue in a meeting Nov. 3. He also said said the dialog over the merger has been "constructive."